Members of the Interact Club participated in the 32nd Annual AIDS Walk Philly, the region’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraiser, at the foot of the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the morning of Sunday, October 21.  Participants gathered to run or walk in this 5K event, organized to raise awareness and funding for the AIDS disease affecting 36.7 million people globally.

As people arrived at the event, they stopped at booths to turn in donations in exchange for pins, magnets, or a t-shirt to symbolize their participation.  While waiting for the walk to start, participants were encouraged to explore the posters, lined up along the road, which provided a timeline of the history of the AIDS disease.  These posters helped participants become more informed and aware of the disease, as well as the gravity of the effects it has among people of all ages throughout the world.

Though rain began pouring down on participants before the walk began, spirits remained high. Trainers at the event took advantage of the rain in an effort to get everyone moving, and it took no time before runners and walkers were jumping into lunges with enthusiasm, eager to begin the 5K.

When it was time to begin, cheerleaders greeted a passionate crowd at the starting line on the track, urging participants on and thanking them for their involvement.  The crowd moved swiftly along the track, and halfway through their walk, they were invited to watch Upper Darby Summer Stage Shooting Stars perform a variety of songs ranging from The Greatest Showman’s “This is Me”  to The Lion King’s “The Circle of Life“.  

Overall, the event was a major success, and all participants left with a smile on their face knowing that they helped make a difference in raising awareness of AIDS and reducing the stigma surrounding the disease.